In February this year, Becca Lewis was named Rising Star in the front-of-house category, sponsored by Square, at the second National Restaurant Awards Rising Star event. Lewis began her career in hospitality at 15, with experience at Where The Light Gets In and Bokman, before joining Dongnae.
Tell us about your career to date
I started in hospitality when I was 15, just looking for a job like most people my age, and I got my first role at Lead Station as a busser. I remember my first wage slip - I was paid less than £3.80 an hour - but I would’ve worked for free because I loved it. While at university in Sheffield, I worked at a wine bar called Tonco, and it was there I realised I wanted to pursue a career in hospitality. I also learned a lot about wine and discovered I really enjoyed that avenue. When I left, the owners Flo Russell and Joe Shrewsbury gave me a voucher to eat at Where The Light Gets In as a leaving present - I was blown away. It was a level of hospitality I’d never experienced before, so I got in touch with them about a job. It’s there that I first stepped into management, starting as assistant manager and later becoming restaurant manager. After that, I moved to Bristol and was offered the opportunity to work at Bokman and from there I heard about Dongnae.
What does your current role involve?
We run lunch and dinner service from Tuesday to Saturday, so I spend a lot of time on the floor. It’s a very hands-on version of being a general manager, which suits me perfectly because service is my favourite part of hospitality. The open kitchen also means there’s constant communication between the front and back of house, which I really enjoy.
What is your favourite thing about your job?
Being able to speak to guests, especially about the food and the wine and feeling like everyone’s learned a little something. That goes both ways too; I love meeting people from different walks of life. Working in an open kitchen is another highlight; I don’t think I could work anywhere without one again. The connection and communication it creates between front and back of house is invaluable and really makes us feel like a team.
What is the hardest thing about your job?
When I was younger, it was the unsociable hours, but now I’m older, I’ve gotten used to it and I’ve got a good balance of time off. Now it’s when the guest experience goes wrong, when people don’t get it, or if they don’t have a good time, I take it personally. I’m trying not to read reviews so much because it can be quite emotional.
Who has been your biggest industry inspiration/role model to date?
Kyu Jeon, who I work with now, is an amazing woman in the industry; she has worked so hard to balance family life and work and she’s one of the most talented chefs I’ve seen in my entire life. Also, Sam Buckley, the owner of Where The Light Gets In, and how he led a team was so inspirational. It was always people-focused, whether that’s the guests or the people he works with, to his connection with the suppliers and winemakers.